Grand Homecoming Planned For Julien Alfred

Saint Lucia’s sprint queen Julien Alfred is to receive a grand homecoming on Friday. This will be a triumphant return home for Alfred, her first trip home after securing the world indoor 60-metre championship in Scotland last month. She stormed to victory in 6.98 seconds. The anticipation is high as Alfred is expected to touch down at the Hewanorra International Airport around 2:30 p.m., where a welcome ceremony awaits, to be attended by government, sports, and other officials. A motorcade into the capital, Castries, is also among the plans. In an exclusive Sportsmax TV interview, the Bowerman Award winner expected a quiet return home. However, she said she appreciated the ‘overwhelming’ support from Saint Lucians. The 22-year-old, who grew up in poverty and used to run barefoot, is returning home on a mission to give back to her country. As part of her mission, Alfred has outlined her plans to launch the Julien Alfred Foundation on Saturday, a platform that will provide opportunities and support to the youth. “I think it would be a good idea to give back to the youth, just doing things that I wish I had at a young age, to help them grow in the...